A PENSIONER was brutally attacked in his bedroom when three masked men raided the home he shares with his brother for the second time in a week.

Raymond Critchlow, aged 78, was tipped out of his bed and punched repeatedly, leaving him with injuries to his face and eye as well as damage to his arm.

The thieves broke into his home on Godwin Street in the Abbey Hey area of Gorton, where he and his 75-year-old brother James have lived all their lives.

The attack happened in the early hours of last Friday morning (8) and after discovering there was nothing for them to steal, the thieves fled, leaving Raymond shaken and in fear for his life. He alerted the police who attended the scene and then took him to the Manchester Royal Infirmary, where he received treatment for his injuries.

His brother Andrew had slept through the ordeal and, not wanting to alarm him, Raymond left him a note explaining what had happened. The previous robbery took place earlier last week, when thieves broke into the house armed with a hammer and took car keys, pension books and a quantity of cash from the Critchlow's home.

The elderly men have been victims of crime on no less than five occaisions over the last six months, and have had motor vehicles stolen from outside their property as well as suffering numerous break-ins.

PC Dave Taylor, Crime Reduction Advisor at Longsight said: "It is a despicable attack, and has really knocked Mr Critchlow for six. He has always been quite a confident man but his confidence has suffered a terrible blow after this."

He added that there had been arrangements made earlier that week to improve the security of the Critchlow's home, which were due to be carried out that Friday.

He said: "We would just appeal to anyone who knows anything about this attack or the previous one to come forward and talk to us."

If you have any information in connection with the incident, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or contact the Burglary Unit at Longsight on 0161 856 4102.